April Truck Sales in Europe Fell 7%

Registrations of commercial trucks and buses across Europe fell 7% to 187,900 units in April, mainly because of the timing of this year’s Easter holiday, says trade group ACEA.

It was the first year-on-year decline in monthly results in six months. Truck and bus sales through the first four months of 2017 grew 4% to 814,100 units.

Demand for light commercial vehicles (no more than 3.5 tonnes) in April shrank to 153,600 units from 165,500 vehicles last year. Sales of heavy trucks (more than 16 tonnes) plunged 10% to 24,800 units.

Combined truck and bus deliveries last month were flat in France at 40,900 units and slipped only 1% to 17,300 vehicles in Spain. But sales plunged in the U.K. (-15% to 27,600 units) and Germany (-12% to 28,100). Demand declined 6% to 15,500 units in Italy.